Assessment and Graduation Criteria
A project graduates when it can credibly receive institutional financing. Nine mandatory requirements, three achievement levels and no exceptions.
The program evaluates two different things, and the project sources use the same numbering for both. They are not interchangeable:
- Project graduation (this page, sections 1 and 2) — nine mandatory requirements that determine whether the cooperative is investment-ready. They are verified with documentary evidence, and the achievement level is Platinum, Gold or Silver.
- Participant certification (section 3) — nine cohort criteria and a five-dimension rubric that determine whether the individual is certified as Practitioner, Advanced Practitioner or Master Practitioner.
A person can be certified as a Master Practitioner even if their cooperative does not yet meet the project graduation requirements — and vice versa.
The 9 Mandatory Requirements
All must be met. No waivers.
A project graduates when it can credibly receive USD 1 million or more in financing (debt, equity or blended) from an institutional source. That is: a development bank, an impact fund or a commercial bank could conduct due diligence on the project and reach a positive investment decision within 6 months of graduation.
| # | Requirement | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| GR1 | Registered and operational legal entity with documented governance: bylaws, elected board, financial controls, separate bank account and at least 6 months of financial records. | Commercial registry verification; bank statement; board minutes. |
| GR2 | Validated business model with at least one signed commercial agreement (PPA, offtake contract, carbon pre-sale, export contract or equivalent). | Signed agreement or binding letter of intent. |
| GR3 | Investor-grade financial model with positive NPV in the base case, documented assumptions and sensitivity analysis; DSCR ≥ 1.2x for projects with debt service. | Model reviewed by an independent analyst; stress test report. |
| GR4 | Complete investor data room: financial model, legal documents, ESIA, risk register, ≥ 4 months of operational data, market analysis and governance assessment. | Completeness check in the Data Lab; document inventory. |
| GR5 | Critical permits obtained or in advanced processing: environmental license, grid connection approval, export license, land-use authorization — as applicable to each vertical. | Permit tracker; copies of issued permits; evidence of pending applications. |
| GR6 | Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) complete, proportional to the project scale and aligned with IFC Performance Standards. | ESIA report signed by a qualified assessor. |
| GR7 | Demonstrated community ownership: evidence that the community — not just its leaders — understands the project, has consented and has a mechanism for equitable benefit sharing. | Community assembly resolution; benefit-sharing agreement; participation data. |
| GR8 | Operational data reporting: at least 4 months of consistent operational data in the Data Lab, with data completeness ≥ 85%. | Data Lab audit. |
| GR9 | Capital mobilization strategy: financing sources identified, capital structure designed and at least one investor meeting held. | Capital strategy document; investor meeting log. |
Addendum for energy cooperatives
Projects in the energy vertical must also meet three additional requirements:
- Signed grid connection agreement or off-grid system design approved by a qualified engineer — verified with the signed agreement or engineering certification.
- Validated energy sharing model — the allocation algorithm tested with real member data (algorithm test report; allocation simulation).
- Signed equipment procurement contract or completed tender — contract or tender evaluation report.
Three Achievement Levels
The score complements the mandatory requirements — it does not replace them
Platinum · ≥ 85 points
Exceptional investment readiness. Priority presentation to top-tier investors.
Gold · 70-84 points
Solid investment readiness. Standard capital mobilization support.
Silver · 60-69 points
Meets all mandatory requirements; some dimensions require continued strengthening after graduation.
The Graduation Score (0-100) is calculated across the same eight universal dimensions from the admissions framework, re-scored at the time of graduation: D1 Financial Viability, D2 Community and Social Readiness, D3 Governance Maturity, D4 Technical Feasibility, D5 Data Readiness, D6 Environmental and Climate Impact, D7 Scalability and Replicability, D8 Regulatory and Policy Alignment.
The Graduation Score does not determine whether the project passes or not: it is a quality signal for investors and enables portfolio-level quality tracking. Projects that meet all mandatory requirements but score below 60 are flagged for review: they technically graduate, but receive reinforced post-graduation support in their weakest dimensions.
From the cooperative that graduates to the practitioner who gets certified
Participant certification is assessed with a five-dimension rubric that cuts across all 12 modules, and defines three achievement levels: Practitioner, Advanced Practitioner and Master Practitioner.
General Rubric and Certification Levels
Five dimensions across all 12 modules, scored from 0 to 100 points
| Dimension | Insufficient (0-59) | Basic (60-74) | Competent (75-89) | Distinguished (90-100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Knowledge | Cannot identify key concepts (kWh vs. kW, generation types). Confuses basic terms. | Recognizes fundamental concepts but requires constant support to apply them. | Masters the module's technical concepts and relates them to real cooperative cases. | Masters concepts, explains them to others with precision and independently connects them with previous modules. |
| Practical Application | Cannot complete portfolio deliverables or submits them with serious structural errors. | Completes deliverables with significant facilitator guidance; they contain inconsistencies. | Completes deliverables independently, with coherent data applicable to the real cooperative. | Deliverables ready for immediate operational use; incorporates unsolicited improvements beyond the guide. |
| Critical Thinking | Cannot identify risks or compare alternatives; accepts information without questioning it. | Identifies obvious risks but cannot prioritize them or justify decisions. | Analyzes risks and alternatives in a structured manner, with data-based justification. | Anticipates second-order risks, proposes mitigations and questions the program's own assumptions when warranted. |
| Communication | Explanations are confusing or incomplete; the audience does not understand the message. | Communicates core ideas but with technical language not adapted to the audience. | Communicates clearly, adapts language to the audience (assembly, authority, investor). | Communicates with exceptional clarity, builds trust and mobilizes the audience toward action. |
| Collaboration | Minimal or disruptive participation; does not share knowledge with the group. | Participates when directly asked, limited spontaneous contribution. | Actively participates, supports peers in difficulty and contributes to collective work. | Exercises natural group leadership, mentors other participants and strengthens cohort cohesion. |
Portfolio deliverable weighting
- Module practical deliverables (case studies, worksheets, diagnostics): 40%
- Final capstone project (cooperative business plan): 30%
- Participation and peer review (collaboration): 15%
- Technical knowledge assessments (per-module quizzes and short tests): 15%
| Level | Score threshold | Additional requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Practitioner | 60-74 points | Compliance with all nine cohort criteria at the basic level. Participation certificate with recognition of foundational competencies. |
| Advanced Practitioner | 75-89 points | Compliance with all nine criteria with a "Competent" or higher rating in at least three of the five dimensions. Qualifies the graduate for technical coordination roles. |
| Master Practitioner | 90-100 points | Compliance with all nine criteria with a "Distinguished" rating in at least two dimensions and "Competent" in the remaining ones. Qualifies as a mentor for future cohorts. |
The nine participant cohort criteria (attendance, portfolio, capstone project, validated diagnostic, regulatory understanding, financial model, pitch simulation, peer review and post-program commitment) are detailed on the program page.
Is Your Cooperative Ready to Graduate?
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Graduation is determined by a formal three-person panel (the Venture Builder Director plus two external evaluators: an investor and a sector expert) in Week 22, against verified evidence. This checklist is a preparation tool, not a verdict.
Appeal and Remediation Process
Not meeting a criterion does not close the door — it defers it
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Review request — 5 business days
Submit a written request for grade review to the program's academic committee.
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Second evaluator review
A facilitator other than the original evaluator reviews the deliverable within a maximum of 10 business days.
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Remediation plan — up to 30 calendar days
If the review confirms the insufficient grade, the participant receives an individualized remediation plan.
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Second assessment opportunity
After completing the remediation plan, the deliverable is re-graded once. The resulting grade is final.
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Deferred graduation
Participants undergoing remediation may graduate in a subsequent ceremony, within 90 calendar days after the official cohort closing.
Projects that do not meet the graduation criteria receive a detailed assessment of remaining gaps and either continue in Phase 3 of the next cohort (if the gaps are minor), or receive the designation "VB-supported", with access to the alumni network and targeted technical assistance, without the full investment-readiness credential.